An unrepentant Donald Trump repeated past grievances at the first televised town hall of the 2024 US presidential election, making clear he has little intention of mounting a more disciplined campaign for his third White House bid.
In a contentious 70-minute broadcast late on Wednesday, Mr Trump drew laughter from a mainly Republican New Hampshire audience when he mocked writer E Jean Carroll's account of sexual abuse.
He also repeated falsehoods about his 2020 election loss, said he would pardon many of his supporters convicted of taking part in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, and called his CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins a “nasty person”.
Responding to questions from Collins and members of the audience at Saint Anselm College, Mr Trump made no effort to offer more moderate positions on issues, which political analysts say is key to broadening his appeal to a wider swath of Republicans.
Asked by Collins whether he would acknowledge that he lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, the Republican Mr Trump reasserted unfounded claims that the election was rigged against him, brushing aside her attempts to correct the record.
“That was a rigged election,” Mr Trump said. Anyone who thought otherwise was “stupid”, he added.
Mr Trump, the front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination, declined to express regret for the deadly attack on the US Capitol when supporters sought to prevent Congress from ratifying the election result. He repeated his plan to pardon individuals involved if voters return him to the White House in 2024.
“I am inclined to pardon many of them. I can't say for every single one because a couple of them, probably, they got out of control,” Mr Trump said.
He also urged Republican legislators to refuse to raise the US debt limit, triggering a default, if Mr Biden's Democrats don't agree to spending cuts.
“I say that the Republicans out there — congressmen, senators — if they don't give you massive cuts, you're gonna have to do a default,” Mr Trump said during the live appearance on CNN.
Mr Trump and Collins frequently spoke over each other, with Collins challenging a number of the former president's false claims about both the 2020 election and the January 6 attack, which followed a speech he gave to supporters outside the White House that day.
“I've never spoken to a crowd as large as that, and that was because they thought the election was rigged. They were there with love in their heart. That was unbelievable, and it was a beautiful day,” he said.
The audience of Republicans and independent voters who plan to vote in the Republican primary were generally supportive of Mr Trump, giving him a standing ovation when he took the stage.
New Hampshire is an early nominating state that could prove critical in his bid to return to the White House.
Responding to Mr Trump's remarks, the Democratic National Committee said the former president “lied about the 2020 election” for 20 minutes and criticised his characterising January 6, 2021, as “a beautiful day”.
“This would be disgusting if it wasn't so dangerous,” DNC spokesman Ammar Moussa said.
On Tuesday, a federal jury found Trump sexually abused Carroll in a department store dressing room in Manhattan in the 1990s, then harmed her reputation by describing her claims as “a hoax” and “a lie”.
“What kind of a woman meets somebody and brings them up and within minutes, you're playing hanky-panky in a dressing room?” Mr Trump said, one of many disparaging comments about Carroll that elicited applause and laughter. He called her a “wack job”.
Mr Trump, who was absent throughout the two-week trial, was asked by an audience member what he had to say to voters who say it disqualifies him from being president.
“Well, there aren't too many of them because my poll numbers just came out. They went up,” he said.
Agencies contributed to this report.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia on October 10
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
